James #7

“A Living Faith”
James #7
February 8, 2009
Pastor Ben Fleming

Turn in your bible to James chapter 2. Thank you Danny for preaching last week and covering the first part of 2nd chapter. This was my first time to see my daughter Mandy run a marathon. (PHOTOS) The second part of chapter two deals with the issue of a worthless faith verses a living faith. This is a section that many find confusing and some disagree with – some have even said that Paul teaches one thing about faith and James teaches another. A truth that James is teaching in his letter and one that we find consistent throughout the Word of God “is that what we do………. reveals who we are.” 2x You can say that you are one thing but when you never do or be that thing – you are only fooling yourself. (PHOTO) Does anyone remember Leonardo De Caprio in Catch Me If You Can? He claimed that he was an airline pilot – a teacher – a doctor and a lawyer but he was a fake in everything that he claimed to be. (BLANK)………. What we do reveals who we really are. A person who claims to be and professes Jesus Christ but who does not live a Christ-honoring – Christ obeying life is a fraud ----- Caution: We are not talking about being completely perfect and sinless. We are going to see in the section we study today… that twice James says that a person who has a worthless faith is actually spiritually dead. A person who has a dead faith cannot produce works that are truly righteous and biblical good works.

He or she gives evidence that they have a dead faith. I will address what are good works in reference to what the bible teaches --- not what man teaches and thinks. Please stand and follow along as we read James chapter 2. --- John Terry LET US PRAY

Introduction
Good works never never produces real genuine biblical faith. Satan rejoices when someone thinks that what they do is going to produce faith or some kind of favor from God in their life. That thinking conflicts with Ephesians 2:8 - 10. (look at that with me on the top of your outline)…… “For it is by grace that you have been saved through faith --- and this not from yourselves, it is a gift from God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Underline NOT BY WORKS……Salvation for a person comes by faith and not by works --- seems to conflict with James. Man thinks to himself that he can do something to win God’s favor and man thinks that every good person gets saved and goes to heaven. That is the general thinking of our nation. In Romans Paul wrote in chap 1:17 “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.” Martin Luther was a Catholic priest in about the year 1515 when he read that – he had been trying to please God – he had been pursing all of the religious practices and working as hard as he could to keep the letter of the religious laws – and he was in such spiritual – mental and emotional turmoil and when he read that verse – God spoke to him and his eyes and heart were opened – he went from having a religious dead faith to a genuine saving faith. That was the beginning and the birth of the reformation in Europe. Man is not saved by works – good deeds or any religious rules or ceremonies – Luther discovered in God’s Word that man is saved by faith alone. He wrote his 95 thesis to the Roman Catholic Church to rebuke their teachings and nailed it to the door of the Wittenburg Cathedral and because of the invention of the Guttenburg Press some few years before – it was published and spread all throughout Europe and the Reformation began. Ok – that was a side bar --- back to the text……….

James is writing to Jewish believers to counter the belief that merely knowing and accepting the truth about Jesus Christ is NOT the same thing as having saving faith. Again, Merely knowing and accepting the truth about Jesus Christ is NOT the same thing as having saving faith. Do not be confused by that because later in verse 19 – he says “You believe that there is one God – that’s good but the demons even believe that.” ….. Unfortunately today, it seems that in some Christian and spiritual circles today.. that merely not denying God….. is the same thing as trusting Him.

James is going to challenge that belief in his writing --- genuine saving faith produces works. Saving faith produces obedience in the life of the believer to God’s Word. Think about it…. If man could gain salvation because of what he did or how good he was – then there would cease to be any grace from God and part of man’s salvation could be credited to man but James is writing that genuine saving faith produces genuine spiritual good works.

Let’s define that…… (SLIDE) Biblical good works that comes as a result of saving faith is first and foremost repentance and obedient submission. Fill those in on your outline – Good works is repentance and obedient submission. We will look at what good works are some more. James is going to contrast a worthless faith and then a saving faith. ---- Look with me

Characteristics of a Worthless Faith

1. A worthless faith reflects an empty confession. (vs. 14 ) “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?” The phrase “if a man claims” governs the entire section here. Many people claim to have faith --- most of us claim to have faith. James is not saying that the person has saving faith ------- he is saying that they claim to. They may believe the basic truths of the gospel. They believe in the existence of God. They believe in the bible – they believe in Christ and that He died on the cross and rose again. But James is saying ---- all of that is for nothing unless he or she demonstrates and shows biblical good works. Does that not astound you???? That was me for 18 years. What are those good works James is referring? Treating people right? Volunteering at Fish? Bringing food to the food pantry? Is not good works just being a good person and doing things to help other people?

Somebody who is always helping other people is a good person because they do good works. Is that not what James is talking about???? Paul says in Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” So – God prepared the good works and the reason God created us and chose us is to do those good works. What are they? On your outline are some examples that we have already looked at in James of those biblical good works.

(SLIDES) Endurance (1:3) Perseverance (1:12) Purity of life (1:21) Obedience to Scripture (1:22-23) Compassion for the needy (1:27) Impartiality (2:1 -13) and we are going to continue to study what James teaches are good works…. tongue control is biblical good works – humility – truthfulness and patience…… So the picture of what good works are is different than what you and I think of in our society. You can volunteer for the Little League and serve meals at FISH --- but if you have no purity of life and you do not aim to be obedient to the scriptures --- you are not demonstrating the biblical good works that James is speaking of. A believer is to show themselves to be an example of biblical good works. Genuine faith in Christ produces good works. Where there is true salvation in the life of a person God will create in the life of that person a longing to run from and turn from sin and obey what God sets down in His Word. Turn to Luke 19. I want to read the story of a man who came to saving faith. He was a religious man. He believed in God and the scriptures but he did not have saving faith. Follow along with me as I read from verse 1.

Luke 19:1 - 10 1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’” 8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” ------------------ Zac obeyed Jesus --- there was a change in the man --- there was the beginning of a personal relationship with the living God and it was demonstrated through obedience and repentance and his repentance demanded restitution. Notice that we do not find that someone had to tell him what to do. Zac demonstrated a full and fruitful confession. His salvation cost him. If any man is in Christ he is a new creature – the old things are passing away ---- the new things are coming. In Acts 26:20 Paul says “repent and turn to God – and prove your repentance by your deeds.”

Paul and James agree with each other 100%. Real faith in Jesus Christ produces real good works. Now let me give you another example of this:……………. Acts 19:18 “ Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of them, the total came to 50k dracmas. Salvation produced action. Salvation produced obedience and those with a new saving faith turned from their false gods. 1 Thess 1:9 says the new believers turned from idols to the living and true God.

It is not right to think that a new believer understands and knows everything they should believe and how they should live ---- we cannot say and think a guy or gal comes to Christ and makes a 180 degree turn --- they stop all sin and ungodliness and live a perfect life ---- FALSE ---- WRONG ---- But you can say that a person who does has saving faith has an immediate understanding and sensitivity…….. to a degree to the things of God and it grows and grows and grows.

2. A Worthless faith reflects a false compassion. (vs.15 -17) “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well, keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it. In the same way, faith by itself, if it not accompanied by action, is dead.”

So --- you can say that you have faith but if you have no compassion for others --- you have a worthless faith. To James --- words of compassion without corresponding acts of compassion is a false faith . We say --- “put your money where your mouth is” ---- but even today ---- I think what James is saying is “put your time where your mouth is.” You can claim to be a compassionate believer - but if you cannot make the time for people in need you really do not have genuine compassion. James is specifically talking here about someone in a church family. “Suppose a brother or sister (Christian) is without clothes and daily food – if one of you says to him – go I wish you well – keep warm and well fed – but does nothing about his physical needs – what good is it? How is this possible today? People come to church and do not let other people know what their needs are ---we are private and proud --- we just do not get close to people. To let someone else know my needs is humbling and embarrassing and yet 1 John 3:17 says “whoever has the world’s goods and see his brother in need and closes his heart against him – how does the love of God abide in him.”

How do we have a genuine compassion that is demonstrated by corresponding acts of compassion?? It must have been easy during the time that James was writing. People were poor ---- people were in need and they definitely did not look to the government to bail them out ---- James says that real faith has compassion demonstrated by acts of compassion. Real compassion is one demonstration of genuine salvation.

Story: The story is told of a European queen who left her coachman outside during the winter waiting on her while she attended the theater. The play she saw was so heart wrenching that she sobbed through the entire performance. When she returned to her carriage she discovered that her coachman had frozen to death and she did not shed one tear……. This is what was happening during the time that James was writing. Do we not find this as well during our time when the TV show 2020 can take you anywhere in the world and see suffering everywhere but we overlook it right in front of our faces. A REAL FAITH REFLECTS A GENUINE COMPASSION.

3. A Worthless faith reflects a shallow conviction. (vs. 18-20) “But someone will say, “You have faith, I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good. Even the demons believe that and shudder. You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?” A third characteristic of a dead faith is a shallow conviction. James is saying that when we recognize certain facts about God and His Word and we do not submit to either of them we simply are demonstrating that we have little conviction. It is like the person who hears God’s Word and hears others teach about God’s Word but when it comes to obeying and doing what is pleasing to God --- he or she thinks that God is love and God will overlook what I do – it is that attitude that thinks God will overlook my disobedience.

Encouragement: Every true Christian has times of unfaithfulness, sin and dryness. It is during those times that you are in danger of loosing an assurance of your salvation. BUT – security of ones salvation is eternal and permanent – but your assurance can fluctuate ---- you are an emotional person. When that does happen to you and it will --- look at your obedience and ask yourself where you need to be obedient to God in your life. Obedience is a choice and many times it is painful. Back to the text… vs. 19…..

There seems to be a touch of sarcasm in James writing here. “You believe there is one God - good – even the demons believe that.” Notice that James is writing about what the demons believe about God and he is comparing the demons to what some of them were believing. Just because a person believes what is right and true about God does not guarantee that person has saving faith. James is saying that demons are right in what they believe about God and the Bible. They know God is one and they know the Scriptures are the Word of God – but there is no conviction – there is no obedience to the Word of God – they have a worthless belief. James is again writing here that real saving faith produces real conviction and that conviction is demonstrated by biblical good works in the life of that person. Keep going back to your outline and review what biblical good works are. I know I have had to…. We are God’s workmanship – created by God to do good works and walk in them. A real faith is a deep conviction to walk in those good works.

Ok – James has hammered what a worthless faith is – in the next 6 verses he writes about what real saving faith is by reminding these Jewish believers of two people from the past that every one of them would have known about.

Examples of a Saving Faith

* Abraham (PHOTO). vs. (21 – 24) “was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.” (blank)

Martin Luther read this and completely dismissed James writing and called it an “epistle of straw”. He was so against the Catholic Churches teaching that salvation came through works that he could not see that James was not talking about the means of salvation but the outcome of salvation. Abraham believed God and that believing God was demonstrated as he took his son to the top of the mountain and took a knife and firewood and went so far as to lay his son on the altar --- his action came from his belief. Do not miss that James says that as a result of his action he was called a friend of God. When you endure – you are a friend of God – when you persevere under trial you are a friend of God – when you pursue purity in your life you are a friend of God – when you are obedient to the Word of God – you are a friend of God – when you are impartial – you are a friend of God – when you demonstrate compassion you are a friend of God – when you control your tongue – you are a friend of God. This is why Jesus said in John 15:14 “You are My friends, if you do what I command you.”

* Rahab (PHOTO) vs. (25-26) “In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” It is amazing that James chooses to close this section with this example of a person who believed God and demonstrated that belief through genuine good works. Rahab was a Gentile and a prostitute. Abraham was a Jews and a moral man. Abraham was a noble Chaldean and Rahab was a degraded Canaanite. He was a leader and she was a common citizen. Rahab was an innkeeper in Jericho and Joshua sent two spies into the city to spy on it before the Jews were going to attack. Her inn was on the city wall and it did not require the men to go far into the city – she hid the men when the King of Jericho heard about them and sent officials to arrest them. The book of Joshua records what she said to these men. Joshua chapter 2:9 -12 “I know that the Lord has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you…. vs 11 when we hear of it our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in haven and on the earth below. --- she hid the men and then let them down the wall and they told her to tie a scarlet cord in her window when the Jews came to attack the city and she would be spared.

God did not honor her lying and her gross sin of prostitution stunk to God but when she had the opportunity to demonstrate her faith in the Lord --- she placed her life on the line – if the King had discovered what she did – her entire family would have been executed for treason. Rhab’s faith was demonstrated through actions – saving – believing faith resulted in real genuine good works. Both Abraham and Rahab did not possess or own a bible. They had no Christian radio – Rahab had no background or teaching of the Jewish God the Lord and yet ---- they both demonstrated true genuine saving faith because they demonstrated good works.

God chooses good people to believe in Him and produce genuine biblical good works and God chooses wicked people to believe in Him and produce genuine biblical good works.

Challenge: So – I challenge you to day to take the words of James to heart. The apostle Paul wrote in 2 Cor 13:5 “Test yourself to see if you are in the faith – examine yourself.” If you do not like what you see – if you have never come to Jesus – would you come today? If you have seen real biblical good works in your life in the past but right now you feel dry and distant from God and you even doubt your salvation ---- examine your obedience. Where in your are you disobedient to God? Obedience to God is not always easy ---- most of the time it is painful and requires you to humble yourself and sacrifice.

Let us pray: ET prays